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Q Acoustics 1010 review

If money’s tight, do you choose to eat or do you go for new speakers? Well, if you’re going to starve, at least do so with some decent bins…

£99.99

20 November 2006/6:00GMT

Sound-per-pound, these might be the best speakers we’ve ever heard. Our reviewer comments on the Q Acoustics 1010s ranged from “how much?” to “You’re kidding. Really, how much?” A further common remark was “so who exactly is Q Acoustics?”

Well, the name is new, but Q Acoustics falls under the Armour Group (Goldring, Myryad, and QED are just three of the company’s brands) – these speakers have some serious backing behind them. And the 1010s are just the entry-level offering from the six-model 1000 series.

Speakers: know your limits

Consequently, the 10cm driver and 25mm tweeter deliver a beautifully even tonal balance: the bass stays firm, the treble remains sweet and the midrange is always clear, open and detailed.

Built to last

They’re extremely well constructed for such affordable speakers, and an examination of their build quality results in a glowing report card – the front-ported box is well put together, and includes a neat magnetised grille.

All your bass are belong to us

Let’s be clear: in performance the 1010s deliver a decent amount of bass, but what they manage to avoid is the nasty pseudo-bass boom delivered by so many of their over-zealous rivals.

This approach also means the speakers are perfectly happy sitting close to a rear wall, which let’s face it, is where they are likely to spend most of their lives.

Jack of all trades

Spin Silent Poets’ layered electronica and these monitors extract impressive levels of detail. Switch to Dabyre’s hip-hop and the presentation bounds along with impressive timing, coping well with the big, punchy beats.

Drop in Sandi Thom’s closely miked vocals and her voice sounds remarkably realistic and weighty: for little speakers, the 1010s cope marvellously well with whatever musical genre you care to chuck at them, and even go pretty loud before admitting defeat – they’ll be ideal if you decide your micro system needs a new lease of life.

It’s clear that QAcoustics has come up with something pretty sensational here, delivering amazing value from small speakers.